One of the common sights during a baseball game is that of the oncoming batter swinging a bat around with donut-shaped weights on it. This practice not only helps condition and loosens muscles before batting; it also gives the illusion of a lighter bat when the weights are removed. Thus when the batter does bat, hopefully he or she will be able to swing the bat quicker and more precisely due to its perceived weight decrease. This practice and technique is useful for any physical conditioning activity but requires the user to physically hold the weight in their hands. This obviously does not allow the use of the hands for other activities and therefore does not find widespread use due to the amount of dedicated time it requires. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which hands, arms and upper body areas can be strengthened and toned by the strategic placement of weights that do not require a dedicated effort to use by the wearer. The development of the invention herein disclosed fulfills this need.
The present invention is a pair of athletic gloves with an integral weight system. The glove is equipped with a plurality of pockets on the back of the glove which holds either sand or metal shot and a tubular shaped fist grip for an additional weight. The amount of weight will vary per model of glove, but is envisioned to be approximately three (3), four (4), or five (5) pounds per glove, dependent on user preference. The gloves are secured during use by a strap system around the wrist with uses hook-and-loop fastener such as Velcro®. The invention is intended to strengthen the hand, arm and upper body area during workouts, exercise, or just plain everyday activities. The use of the present invention allows users the ability to strengthen their hand and upper body area in a quick, easy and effective manner so that increased dexterity and speed can be realized during other sporting activities.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide weighted exercise training gloves. U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,097, issued in the name of Schwartz, describes a variable weight aerobic exercise glove. The glove comprises a single mitten type enclosure of the fingers, a palm enclosure, and two pockets on the backhand side of the glove which allow for various interchangeable weight plates to be inserted. However, unlike the present invention, the Schwartz glove does not allow for optimum mobility or use of the hands while worn and the inserted weights are likely to fall out during intense workouts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,433, issued in the name of Walker et al., describes a weighted athletic glove comprising a plurality of tiny weights attached to the backhand side of a glove body. However, unlike the present invention, the Walker glove has a limited weight capacity and the plurality of small weights is unsuitable for boxing or other sparring type activities.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,200, issues in the name of Hoffman describes a weighted exercise glove having webbed fingers. The Hoffman glove comprises a glove body with a pocket on the backhand side thereof in which a weight is inserted, two (2) straps which wrap around the hand and the weight to secure the weight, and webbed finger connections. However, unlike the present invention, the Hoffman glove is intended for adding weight resistance while swimming and the inserted weights are likely to fall out during intense workouts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,008 issued in the name of McBride et al., discloses a martial arts training glove comprising a padded training glove intended to provide protection to the hand of a wearer when striking an object. The McBride glove comprises enclosures thereon the backhand side of the glove which are filled with granular material to protect outer portions of the hand during common martial arts strikes. However, unlike the present invention, the McBride glove lacks a means to equally distribute the granular material within the enclosure making it likely that said material will collect near a bottom portion of the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,574 issued in the name of Hall et al., discloses a weighted therapeutic glove comprising a pockets on the backhand side and palm side of the glove intended for removably receiving insertable weights. However, unlike the present invention, the Hall glove is unsuitable for vigorous exercise or sparring type training where the weighted material needs to be securely attached to the glove.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,689 issued in the name of Thellmann, discloses a weighted soccer goalie glove comprising an ordinarily shaped soccer goalie's glove with particular enhancements such as additional weight and a ball gripping surface. The additional weights are removably inserted into pockets located on the backhand portion of the glove. However, unlike the present invention, the Thellmann glove is intended for improving the strength and agility of a soccer goalie and is not suitable for a sparring or a fight type training routines.
Additionally, ornamental designs for weighted exercise gloves provided, particularly, U.S. Pat. No. D 387,503. However, none of these designs are similar to the present invention.
The prior art appears to disclose various weighted exercise training gloves. However, none of the prior art particularly describes a weighted exercise glove comprising a plurality of weighted enclosures thereon a backhand side and a weighted fist grip thereon a palm side which provide additional resistance to arm and shoulder conditioning training while leaving the hands free for use that the instant invention possesses. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which hands, arms and upper body areas can be strengthened and toned by the strategic placement of weights that do not require a dedicated effort to use by the wearer that operates without the disadvantages as described above.